Hamas, Fatah set to sign accord by year’s end | Middle East | Jerusalem Post

Mashaal has agreed to sign a “reconciliation accord” with Fatah after the Egyptians promised to permanently reopen the Rafah border crossing between Sinai and southern Gaza.

They said the agreement would be signed before the end of the year.

Hamas and Fatah are very close to reaching agreement over the reconstruction of the Palestinian security forces under the supervision of Arab countries.

Again, this is seen as an achievement for Hamas, which has long been demanding an end to Fatah’s exclusive control over the Palestinian Authority security forces.

Fatah, the sources said, has also agreed to make concessions on three other issues: bringing Hamas representatives into PLO institutions; the release of all Hamas supporters from PA prisons in the West Bank; and the establishment of a unity government that would not be committed to the Oslo Accords, but would only “respect” them.